


As the sun rises

by marvelousmsmol



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Akatsuki no Yona AU, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angst, Blood and Violence, Bodyguard Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Death, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Marichat | Adrien Agreste as Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Princess Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Protective Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Thief Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, so self indulgent, this is the most self indulgent i've ever been with a fic, yes marinette's pronouns are capitalized on purpose, yona of the dawn au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-18
Updated: 2021-03-26
Packaged: 2021-03-27 00:14:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30114195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marvelousmsmol/pseuds/marvelousmsmol
Summary: Princess Marinette has lived in the castle Her whole life, preparing for the day that She will become queen and take over ruling the kingdom from Her father, who has been acting as Regent since the death of Her mother.When Her father is unexpectedly killed by one of the people She trusted the most, Marinette now has to face life outside of the palace and learn how to survive with only the help of Her guard, Chat Noir. As She learns how to survive, She also will come to know of what life is really like for Her subjects, and with the help of the legendary Dragon Warriors will fight to protect her kingdom.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 14
Kudos: 43





	1. Chapter 1

Marinette always woke up just as the sun was beginning to rise. Her attendants had complained about Her sleep schedule ever since She was a child, but they helped Her dress anyway and prepare Her to go to the temple just as the sky was turning from a dark, inky blue to a crimson red. Juleka, Her head lady-in-waiting, bustled about, helping first slip the dress over Marinette’s head and then Her robe before finally tying the sash around Her waist to hold it closed. 

The clothes were white embroidered with red thread, perfect for the occasion. After performing Her duties at the temple this morning, Marinette would join Her father to greet their subjects. The anniversary of Her mother’s death was a somber occasion, but Queen Sabine had been deeply loved by everyone in the kingdom and Her memory would be honored today with the greatest respect. 

Juleka bowed as she stepped away from Marinette. “Is everything to your liking?”

“Yes,” Marinette said, turning and bringing Juleka into Her arms for a hug. “It’s perfect. You always were much better at tying these knots than I was.”

“Well, you have to practice when your job is to make the princess look Her best,” Juleka said. 

“You’ll be joining us again later?” Marinette asked.

“Of course.” Juleka gave Her a solemn nod. “I have to go and greet my brotHer at the gate but he and I will stand with you and your fatHer later today.”

“I didn’t know he was coming back so soon,” Marinette said, quirking an eyebrow. She turned away from Juleka, trying to hide the blush on Her face.

“Well, he’s coming home from this battle a hero, so you’ll be able to brag to your father about that,” Juleka said. “I think you’ve missed Luka almost as much as I have.” 

Marinette didn’t miss the teasing behind Juleka’s words. “I have,” Marinette said, turning back to Her friend. “Though I don’t think telling my father anymore about how great your brother’s record in battle is will do much good. The king hates fighting, and Luka’s one of the generals so that he doesn’t have to deal with the details.” 

Juleka hummed in agreement, and Marinette turned back to the mirror, giving herself one last look-over. She smoothed out Her skirts as Juleka walked over to the table, going through Her jewelry box. “Final touch,” Juleka said, pulling the golden crown from its box. Marinette bent down slightly and tilted Her head forward as Juleka pinned the crown in place. She made sure the beads dangling from it weren’t covering Marinette’s eyes and stepped back when she was finished, admiring her work. “Perfect.”

“I’ll take your word for it,” Marinette said, only glancing in the mirror for a second. “I should get going. I don’t want to be late.” 

The morning sounds of birds singing and a soft breeze moving through the trees grew louder as Marinette opened the door to Her chambers and stepped out into the hall. Marinette frowned as She looked up and down the open-air corridor, seeing no one nearby. Her guard was supposed to be here to escort Her, and he was usually never late. 

It took Her a moment to recognize the sound of snoring coming down below and walked to the other side of the corridor, leaning down over the railing and looking into the garden below. Sure enough, Chat was leaned against the wall, head propped up by his elbow on his knee. 

Her guard wasn’t late. He was just sleeping like he usually was.

“Chaton,” Marinette called down to him. She didn’t speak softly, not worried at all about disrupting his sleep. He was supposed to be on duty after all. 

Chat was almost startled awake, tilting his head up and smiled as he saw Marinette looking down at him from above. “Good morning, Princess.” 

“Taking a nap already, are we?” Marinette asked, quirking an eyebrow.

“On the contrary,” Chat said, standing up to his feet. “I had only just gotten to sleep. Thank you for ruining that for me.” 

“You’re welcome,” Marinette responded. 

Chat rolled his eyes at Her. He jumped, grabbing onto the railing and pulling himself up to Her level with ease. He landed bent to his knees, head dropping down as a sign of respect to Her. Marinette wanted to laugh. They had never been good at things like that. Chat had been around Her for as long as She could remember and seemed like the only person She didn’t need the honorifics and grand gestures from. Nevertheless, he bowed when he was supposed to, and called Her Princess. Though, from his lips, the word seemed more like a nickname than a title. 

“Shall we get going?” Chat asked, standing to his feet. “We wouldn’t want you to be late for the first time in your life.” 

Marinette resisted the urge to punch him in the arm and picked up Her skirts as She started toward the temple. Chat followed just a few steps behind Her and She could hear him yawning every so often. He probably wasn’t lying when he said he hadn’t gotten any sleep the night before. 

“Luka’s returning today,” Marinette told him. 

“Oh, is he?” Chat said, stretching his arms over his head. “At least I’ll finally get a chance to kick Mr. War Hero’s ass... Sorry, kick his butt.” 

“The last time the two of you fought everyone had to duck and cover,” Marinette said. “I’m surprised the whole palace didn’t explode from that one.”

Chat looked at Her skeptically. “And you’re saying…”

“Don’t fight each other, please,” Marinette said, stopping to turn and look back at him. “Or at least don’t kill or severely injure him.”

Marinette made Her way down the steps a little quicker than usual but Chat had no problem following behind Her. She was walking as fast as She could through the garden wanting to end this conversation as quickly as possible before it became a shouting match. If Luka and Chat could potentially destroy the entire place by crossing blades, She and Chat could just as easily with their words. And it was certainly too early in the day for that. 

“Why? You’re looking to get your hands on him first?”   


“Am not!” 

“Please, Princess we all know about your little crush-”

“What crush? I have no clue what you’re talking about-”

“Actually, probably huge, gigantic crush.”

Marinette stopped in Her tracks just outside the entrance to the temple. She and Chat stood only a few feet from one another, glares on both their faces. Chat’s expression looked a little more amused than anything, but Marinette was certainly annoyed with him.

“I don’t like him like that,” Marinette said, Her voice calmer now but still a sharp edge to it.

“Really?” Chat asked. “Then how do you like him?”

Marinette raised Her index finger pointedly. “I-”

Just as She was about to hurl another insult at him, Marinette’s fatHer cleared his throat, stopping any further horrible incident from occurring. Marinette and Chat both turned their attention toward the king. He stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his usual happy smile on his face.

“I wondered how I managed to make it here before you,” Tom said. “You’re usually early, but I can see you were slowed down by a squabble.”

Marinette stood in silence a lot longer than Chat did, who almost immediately upon seeing the King, deeply bowed, hand resting across his stomach.

“Forgive me, your Majesty,” Chat said, staying bent over for a few moments more before rising to his full height again. 

“Don’t feel the need to apologize,” Tom answered. “The two of your’s friendship have been this way for so long I can’t expect much to change at this point.” 

King Tom offered his arm to his daughter, and Marinette grabbed Her skirts in one hand, making Her way up the rest of the stone steps into the temple. She couldn’t help but look back at Chat. He was standing patiently, silently. Marinette looked at Her father expectantly, but it seemed he already had the same idea She was.

“Aren’t you coming with us?” Tom asked Chat. 

Chat’s eyes lit up, and he followed them up the rest of the steps. 

Marinette couldn’t understand why it wasn’t just natural for him to come in with them on this day. Of course, it was the private time set aside for the Royal Family to pay their respects to the late Queen, but Chat had joined them for this time every year. Marinette regarded him as much a part of their family as She thought of Her father. Chat had come to the palace, under criminal circumstances at first, when Marinette’s mother was even still alive. He hadn’t known Her long, but Marinette could still recall the times She read stories to both of them and helped them feed the koi fish in the pond.

Marinette and Her father made their way to the very front of the temple where pillows were already set out for them the kneel on. One was placed on the ground a row behind them for Chat. Both Her father and Chat waited patiently as Marinette stepped up the altar and lit a candle for Her mother. She bowed her head slightly, offering a prayer before making her way back to stand next to her father again. 

Chat and Adrien were following Her lead as they kneeled to the ground, pressing their foreheads to their hands. It was expected that they would follow Her lead anyway. Prayers like this were Her duty. All women born into the Royal Family were responsible for appeasing the gods and asking for their divine protection on behalf of the kingdom. 

Marinette couldn’t help but remember the first time She had come here with Her mother, dressing in ceremonial robes for the first time and learning the words She knew by heart. The tears flowed steadily down Her face as the memory surfaced and stayed at the forefront of her mind. 

Marinette stood as she finished reciting the prayers, the King and Chat following suit. The three of them made their way to the altar and Marinette picked up the candle She had originally lit. Chat and Her father took candles of their own and Marinette offered Her flame to them. The candles were placed side by side. Marinette couldn’t help but get lost as She stared at the dancing flames. Her father had taken Her hand, squeezing it tightly. She sniffled, unable to hide Her tears any longer. 

It wasn’t surprising when She felt Chat’s fingers brush her own, telling Her that he had a hand She could hold if needed. Marinette didn’t hesitate to take it. She felt comforted by the presence of Her family beside Her. 

Her whole family. Marinette could feel Her mother looking down on them for sure. 

\------------------

The court officials were waiting for Her father when they finally exited the temple. It was almost time to gather in front of the citizens. As King Regent, he would still be leading the procession, and Marinette stayed back at the end of the group. She didn’t mind not having the responsibility of being Head of the Family yet. It was a difficult task and job to take on. Until She became of age a year from now, Marinette still had time to prepare. 

It was also a good thing to be at the back because Marinette wasn’t sure She had Her crying under control yet. Chat was walking behind Her again, as he always did, and She turned back to look at him as he hit Her arm gently. Marinette looked down to see that he was offering Her a handkerchief, which Marinette kindly accepted. She whispered a thank you, and Chat just smiled in response. 

He was often loud, enjoyed making jokes, but was always quiet in the presence of the Court Officials. They had never quite liked him, the boy who had started out as a thief and ended up making his way to the position of the Princess’s personal guard and heir to the Fire tribe, but Chat had always stuck by the idea of not making trouble for anyone. Unless he absolutely needed to. 

As they reached the place from where they were supposed to enter, Marinette spotted Juleka out of the corner of Her eye. Her lady-in-waiting lowered her head as she made her way over to Her. Marinette’s eyes were immediately drawn to someone else, however, Juleka’s companion walking along beside her. 

“Let me know if you’re going to swoon,” Chat whispered in Her ear. Marinette turned and glared at him, but only for a second. Her eyes couldn’t be drawn away from Luka for very long. 

Luka and Juleka bowed to Marinette first, but as soon as he stood back up, Luka turned away from Her, his attention focused solely on Chat.

“General Noir,” Luka said, a smile on his face. “I was wondering when I would get to see you again.”

“Same here as well, General Couffaine,” Chat answered. “Have your skills improved since I last saw you?”   


“Should we test it out?” Luka asked.

Marinette let out a nervous laugh, trying to push Her way into the conversation. “Don’t tell me you two are already starting.”   


Luka turned his gaze toward Her, and Marinette thought She might melt. His expression softened from the combative glare he had been giving Chat. “I would never dare fight in front of a lady such as yourself, Your Highness.” 

“Who knows?” Chat asked, a sly smile on his face. “The Princess might enjoy it.”

“Chat!” Marinette exclaimed, lifting Her sleeve to cover Her face and hide Her embarrassment. 

“You’re welcome to come to watch training anytime you like,” Luka offered to Her. “It’ll be just like when we were kids.” 

Marinette couldn’t help the fact that She was breathless, mouth hung slightly open in awe of him as She tried to come up with an answer. “Yes,” She said. “I’d love to.” 

“Marinette, we’re going to start now,” Tom said, walking over to their group. Luka and Juleka both bowed to him as he approached. “Ah, General Couffaine, we’re glad to see you back completely healthy.”   


“It’s a great honor to be present for this day, Your Majesty,” Luka said. “Thank you for allowing me to partake in this occasion.”   


“It is no problem, General,” Tom said. “Her Majesty, Queen Sabine, always did love you and your sister. Good morning, Lady Juleka.”

“Good morning, Your Majesty,” Juleka responded, bowing again. 

Tom nodded his head solemnly. “Well, we should get started,” he said, patting Marinette’s shoulder. “Best to get the sad parts over first. Your Mother enjoyed the happy celebrations the most. We should remember Her at the banquet tonight.” 

“Yes, father,” Marinette said. She took his arm again, following him toward the front of the procession. 

\--------------------

Marinette stood at the edge of the koi pond, kicking rocks into the water every so often as She stared at Her own reflection. Chat was with Her, sitting under the shade of a tree with his eyes closed. She was sure he wasn’t asleep, and Marinette was considering throwing a rock at him just to check. 

She had just picked one up in Her hand when She heard Her name being called. Marinette turned to see Luka making his way down the path. He waved at Her, the same smile on his face as before. Marinette waved back at him. 

Luka slowed to a jog as he came to stand in front of Her, slightly out of breath. He gave the customary bow, slightly lower than what it was supposed to be, but Marinette didn’t care. 

“I thought I would find you back here,” Luka said. “I remember coming to play here a lot when we were little.” 

“It was my Mother and I’s favorite spot,” Marinette said, nodding. “After the speech, I just wanted a little time to Myself.”   


“And the cat?” Luka asked, pointing to where Chat was resting. He hadn’t acknowledged Luka’s presence.

“That stray would follow Me anywhere even if I asked him to stop,” Marinette spoke, loud enough to be sure that Chat had heard Her. 

“You two talking about me?” Chat asked, cracking one of his eyes open. “I am just doing my job you know.”

“We’re inside the palace,” Marinette said. “Who’s going to try and hurt Me here?”   


“Chat’s right, you know,” Luka said. “You can’t be too careful. I like when You have him around. It makes me feel more at ease about not being here to protect You myself.” 

“Really?” Marinette asked, having to hide Her blush behind Her sleeve again. 

Luka nodded, a nervous laugh escaping him. He turned and looked at Chat. “Do you mind if I take Her Highness for a stroll?”

“By all means,” Chat said, waving his hand absentmindedly. “You take a turn protecting Her for a while. I’m going to take a nap.” 

Luka offered Marinette his arm. “Shall we?”   


Marinette tried to suppress Her giggle as She accepted his offer, placing Her hand on top of his. Luka led Her further down the garden path. Usually, when She walked this way, Marinette paid attention to all the different flower blooming around this time of year, but now She couldn’t stop staring at Luka. 

“It’s been so long since I’ve seen you last,” Marinette said. “Did I already tell you that I missed you?”

“I don’t think You did,” Luka said. “But, I’m glad to hear it.” 

It was troubling that She could barely think of anything else to say to him. They had been friends so for long, not as long as She and Chat had been, but long enough that Luka held a special place in Her heart. 

But since She had begun to feel more for him, Marinette had trouble finding the words to say to him how She felt. She wanted to tell him desperately. 

“I-I’m glad you’ve been able to remain safe,” Marinette said. “I worry about you. Pray for you.” 

Luka stopped and turned to Her, bowing deeply. “I’m honored to have the High Priestess of the kingdom have me in Her prayers specifically,” He said. Marinette wanted to tell him it was nothing, that he didn’t need to thank Her for it. Luka reached up, brushing a stray strand of hair out of Her face before could answer. “Sorry, allow me to fix that for you. You needn’t worry about me, Your Highness. I will always come back to you. I promise.” 

Marinette felt Her throat tighten as She listened to him speak. Luka’s reassurance helped put Her worries at ease, but they also brought new ones forth. 

“Luka, I-” Marinette said. She let out a deep breath, trying to find the strength to continue. “Luka… I don’t want you to leave with the troops again. I want you to stay here. With Me.” 

Luka’s brows furrowed in confusion. “What do you mean? I’m not sure I understand.” 

“I love you,” Marinette said, her voice barely louder than a whisper, and when it seemed like he hadn’t heard Her, She spoke again louder this time. “Luka, I love you.” 

“Marinette, please-”   


“No, please don’t tell me I’m foolish,” Marinette said, holding up Her hands to stop him before he could continue. “I hear it so much from everyone else. I couldn’t bear to hear you say it, too.” 

“Your father would never approve of our union,” Luka said, his jaw clenching as he spoke. 

“Yes, he would,” Marinette pleaded with him. “He would if I asked. I will ask.”

“Don’t waste your time on me, please, Marinette,” Luka said. “No matter what, I have to return of my post as General.”

“Not if I advocate for you,” Marinette said, trying to take his hand. “Not if you and I were engaged.” 

“I can’t marry you, Marinette.” Luka pulled his hands out of Her grasp. “Even- Even if I wanted to, Your father probably already has someone in mind to be Your husband. I couldn’t interfere with what he wants.”

“Well, what about what I want?” Marinette asked, Her voice rising. “What about what you want? Do you want Me?”

Luka sighed. “I can’t say yes,” he said. Marinette lowered Her head dejected but froze at the sound of his voice speaking again. “But… I couldn’t say no either. Then it would be a lie.” 

Hope returned to Marinette’s heart as She looked back up at him again, but Luka was already bowing, not looking at her. “I should leave You,” he said. “I’m sure you have to prepare for the banquet.” 

Marinette didn’t see his face again before he turned on his heel and walked away from Her. She was trying not to cry at the moment and began smacking Her cheeks to keep the pain of unshed tears away. Marinette rushed as quickly as She could back to the pond where Chat was napping. She didn’t even wait for him to get up before She continued walking past him, speaking quickly. “I’m headed back to my room.” 

It only took Chat a second to jump to his feet and follow Her. “Are You-”

“Don’t ask,” Marinette said, more harshly than She meant to. 

\-------------------------

Changing Her clothes had taken only a little bit of time, and Marinette was ready to head to the banquet earlier than expected. She sat across the table from Chat, who busy flipping through a book, though not really reading it. Marinette just sat with Her head propped up by Her elbow, not moving, not speaking.

“Shouldn’t You not be sitting in your dress like that?” Chat asked. “Won’t it wrinkle?”  
“I don’t care,” Marinette said. She flopped backward completely, laying sprawled out on the ground. “What’s the point of looking nice anymore?”

“Is this still about-” Chat began to ask.

“Don’t say his name,” Marinette said, leaning her head up slightly to glare at him. “I don’t want to hear his name right now.” 

“Whose name?” A voice from the doorway asked. Marinette tilted her head back even further to see Her father standing there. Marinette got up onto Her knees and pushed Herself to Her feet, almost tripping over Her skirts. Chat stood at the last second catching Her by the elbow and stopping Her from falling back on Her face. Tom stepped farther into the room and took her arm as well. “Are You alright?”

“I’m fine,” Marinette said. “Just fine.” 

“Wonderful,” Tom said. “Because I wanted to see You before we headed to the dining hall.” 

Tom reached into his pocket, pulling out a black ornate box. Marinette recognized it almost instantly, fingers reaching out to trace the red lines carved into the top.

“This belonged to Your Mother,” Tom said. “Technically, I am supposed to wait until You are of age to pass it down to You, but Your Mother said they could be given at any time once You had shown Yourself to be an exceptional Princess. I think You achieved that a long time ago, but I waited till now because I-”

Her father paused, taking a shaking breath, he held the box in one hand and took Marinette’s with the other. “I wanted it to feel like She was here with us when I gave them to You.” 

There’s was no point in holding back tears this time as Her father placed the box into Her hands. Marinette lifted the lid, already knowing what was inside. The ruby-red earrings were placed precisely in the center of the box, and Marinette’s fingers traced the dangling gemstone from where they were connected to the bejeweled posts. 

“These are a symbol of the Queen’s power, and her spiritual connection with the gods,” Tom said. “They’ve been passed down through generations, and now they belong to you.” 

Chat stepped up to her side. “May I help?”

“Yes,” Marinette said sniffling as she placed the box into his outstretched hand. “Please.” 

She took the earrings She was currently wearing out, replacing them with the rubies. Chat took Her other earrings from Her hands and tucked them into the box for safekeeping. Marinette couldn’t help but play with the rubies that dangled from her ears. 

“They suit You very well,” Tom said, brushing the top of his daughter’s hair with his hand. Tom held out his arm to Her. “Let’s head to the banquet, shall we?”  
Marinette smiled at Her father as She took his arm, happy to be spending the evening with someone She loved so much. 

\-------------------------

Marinette was staring out Her window. The banquet was over, and the stars were completely out. She often tried to go to sleep around this time, but Her mind was full of reflections on the events of the day. She thought about Her father, how proud She was of him, and how proud he was of Her in turn. They understood each other, and could respect each other’s opinions. 

That thought made Her mind turn to someone else. 

Luka’s conversation with her in the garden was replaying through her brain over and over again. He had rejected Her, saying that they couldn’t be together, but he hadn’t said he didn’t love Her back. In fact, he said it would be a lie to try and tell Her he didn’t. 

That part of the memory She would never forget. 

Marinette had felt hopeful when he said that, but She was still unsure of how to convince him to come with Her to Her father and ask permission to be betrothed. 

Perhaps She should be looking at it a different way. Maybe Her father wasn’t the most important person to convince. Maybe She could convince Her father first that the union was right, and then Luka would be sure to change his mind when he saw that they had the King’s blessing. 

Marinette felt determined, standing up to Her feet. She was already dressed for bed but that shouldn’t stop Her from going to see Her father right now and convince him to let Her marry Luka. 

She peeked out into the open corridor first. It seemed that Chat was no longer standing guard outside, and had probably gone somewhere else to sleep again. That was good luck for Her. She didn’t have to face his questioning. 

Marinette wasn’t forbidden from going out of Her room at night, but She still tried to remain as quiet as possible as She made Her way to Her father’s chambers. 

The King’s chambers were dark when she reached them, no lights to be seen inside. Marinette frowned. 

Her father always had his lights on late, working into the night. 

There were supposed to be guards posted here as well.

_ Why was no one around? _   


Marinette reached out with shaking hands to slide open the door. She pushed them open just an inch, peeking inside. She could see the outline of Her father’s figure in the dark. And another person, standing close to him. 

Marinette opened the doors even more stepping into the room and hoping to get a better look at who was in there. Her heart was racing, fists wrapped tight around the fabric of her nightdress. 

The sound of a blade being drawn made Her freeze, and from what little light was coming into the room from the open door, Marinette watched as the blade was driven into Her father’s stomach, causing him to groan and fall to his knees.

Marinette couldn’t stop the scream from passing through her lips, rushing forward as he was pushed off his murder’s blade and onto the ground. She stumbled and fell before She could even reach him, crawling the rest of the way to his still body on her knees.

“Father- Father!” Marinette cried, clutching to his chest as the blood-stained her white nightdress. “Wh- Why would you do this?!”

Marinette wished she hadn’t looked up.

She wished she hadn’t looked up so she wouldn’t have seen it was Luka staring down at her with the blood still dripping from the sword he was holding. His eyes were cold, a face without emotion as he wiped his dirtied blade off on his sleeve. 

“You- you weren’t supposed to be here.” Even if his face seemed to be blank, the sound of his voice conveyed pain like Marinette had never heard from a person. Except from herself. Just now. 


	2. Chapter 2

Marinette’s eyes were locked on Luka, who stood above Her with a cold look on his face. It was an expression She had never seen from him before. She was acutely aware of the blade that was pointed just inches away from Her chest. It was visible out of the corner of Her eye. She had been this close to weapons before, but that was when Chat held his spear in his hand, meaning it was someone She trusted standing beside Her. 

Marinette wasn’t so sure She trusted Luka now. 

“Why-why were you in here?” Marinette asked, racking Her brain for an explanation other than the one that was right in front of Her. “Luka, please- please tell me it wasn’t you who did this-”

“It was me,” Luka said with no hesitation. “I killed the King.” 

Marinette looked down at Her father’s body again, the blood looked a darker color in the dimly lit room. It was staining the fabric of Her skirts, changing the white of Her nightdress to red. Marinette wanted to hold him, keep him close to Her, but She was losing all feeling with every passing second, Her entire body going numb. She had to force herself to keep breathing, to keep her eyes from falling shut, and let Her body collapse on the floor next to Her father’s. 

Marinette was still in the presence of a murderer after all. 

“I thought You’d be asleep by now,” Luka said. He was still holding the sword, pointed in Her direction, and there wasn’t even the slightest shake in his hands. Everything about him was steady, sure, which used to be something Marinette admired in Luka, but now She wanted him to show even an ounce of remorse for the crimes he had just committed. But he didn’t. “I didn’t think anyone came to the King’s chambers this late, but You… We could have kept this quiet Marinette, and I would have been able to protect You.” 

“Are you quite done?” A voice came from behind Her, startling Marinette and causing Her to whip Her head around, trying to get a good look at the figure in the doorway through Her tears. Her heart stopped as under the pale light of the moon Marinette thought for a moment that She was looking at Chat, wearing a cold and malicious expression. He wasn’t doing anything- Chat was just standing there not helping Her, not helping Her father, the man he had pledged his life to serve, but as this person stepped further into the room, Marinette, even through Her clouded vision, noticed the slightest differences in appearance that told Her this wasn’t Chat Noir.

But still, someone to She needed to be afraid of.

There were guards with the man, palace guards She remembered having been there since She was very little. Was She really alone now? Was everyone really against Her? 

“What’s the Princess doing here?” The man asked. “Is She a witness?”   


“Yes,” Luka said, stepping to the center of the room, standing in between Marinette and the other traitors. “But it’s no issue-”

“It is an issue,” The man answered. “The heir to the throne has seen us commit treason and can speak against in court. Dispose of Her as well.” 

Marinette stiffened at the man’s words and that was finally what made it click in Her brain that She needed to move. She was on Her feet in seconds, running towards the side door out of the room and down corridors. There was no use in being quiet, Her feet were hitting the wooden planks of the floor with loud, pounding footsteps, and more were following behind Her. She just needed to run as fast as she could, find a way out of the palace before it was too late or hide somewhere else till maybe someone who was still on Her side could help Her. 

It would be no use to try and make it to the palace gates. There would be guards stationed everywhere near there, and there was no way to tell which ones wouldn’t try and kill Her.  _ No, _ Marinette thought, _ I need to go somewhere else. _

Marinette had never tried jumping or climbing over the railing Herself but had watched Chat do so many times and took a wild guess on how easy it might be not to fall on Her face when She landed. She barely cared about the mud that splashed up and covered Her legs as She hit the ground. It was exactly graceful, but She didn’t land face first either. There were still people chasing Her, however, so Marinette quickly recovered and started toward Her destination again.

The gardens would be difficult to navigate at night if Marinette hadn’t been walking through them Her entire life. She would be able to find Her way to the temple in the dark, probably even with Her eyes closed. Soon, the entrance of the temple was directly ahead of Her, a sanctuary that would be sure to keep Her safe. No one would dare entire and try to cause Her harm there, not to the High Priestess and servant of the gods in Her own sacred territory. 

Just as Marinette was about to reach the stone steps, something caught on Her ankle, pulling Her down to the ground. Her hands scraped across the stone, leaving Her bleeding and bits of rock stuck in Her skin. Marinette wanted to get up, to run again and reach Her one place of safety, but whatever was caught around Her ankle pulled Her backward, leaving Her even more bloody and dirty than before. 

Footsteps were slowly approaching and She could see the glint of metal from the corner of Her eye again, blades poised on either side of Her neck. 

“Do you surrender?” The same cold, malicious man from before asked Her. 

“I don’t understand why this is happening,” Marinette said, Her eyes focused on the ground. She needed to keep Herself composed, unwilling to cry or break down in front of these traitors. “Why are you doing this?” 

“The safety of the kingdom needed to be ensured,” he said to Her, Marinette could see his feet standing in front of Her now, his shoes sparkly and clean unlike Her own, and not even the hem of his robes were dirtied. “The Cheng line does not have what it takes to keep the people of this kingdom safe. That must be remedied” 

Marinette glanced up only for a moment, seeing Luka standing behind this entitled man. “You’re really going to let them kill Me, Luka?” Marinette asked him. “You’re My friend! I love you! I told you as much today!”

“If You had stayed in your bed-chamber, I would have complied with Your request to marry me tomorrow morning,” Luka said. “But I can’t let You derail the plans I’ve laid.”

Fear rose within Her as Marinette heard the swords shift in the guards' hands, holding them closer to Her neck. 

_ I’ll see you again soon, Father. _

\-----------------------

Chat Noir never preferred to leave the close vicinity of the Princess’s chambers late at night if he couldn’t help, but there was the occasional need to replenish a drinking glass or find something to eat. 

The Princess barely slept, which was odd considering how energetic She seemed to be  _ all the time, _ which meant that Chat didn’t really get much sleep either. They spent most of their days together, Chat walking just a few feet behind the Princess from a very young age unless he needed to train. It never got exhausting, though. Somehow, he had known what he was signing up for when he vowed to protect the Princess for as long as he lived. He’d devoted his entire life to Her. That was something that would never change. 

Still, he wished She would go to sleep at reasonable hours more frequently. 

Chat walked back to his room, right next to the Princess’s, with a drink of water in hand. He’d probably sit and read for a few more hours before turning in. Most nights it wouldn’t be as important for him to stay alert and on guard for this late in the evening, but most days Chat did not have this sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. 

Something had been bothering him all day, and he couldn’t quite figure out what. The atmosphere had been heavy, which wasn’t unusual for the annual banquet marking the passing of the late Queen Sabine, but it wasn’t somber either, which had started the spiraling train of thought in his head. Chat had to be prepared for anything at this point because it was getting too quiet for his liking.

As he made it back to the Princess’s chambers, he slid open the door to check on Her, wondering if maybe She had finally gone to sleep. Chat’s heart began to race at the sight of Her empty room, and he checked his own for good measure in case the Princess had just gone in there looking for him. His own room was empty as well, and Chat wasn’t feeling too calm anyone, nor was he trying to ignore the skinking feelings. It was time to trust his gut and figure out what the hell was going on. He grabbed his spear from where it was resting against his bedroom wall and took off.

A shout from the direction of the gardens drew his attention, and Chat started making his way toward the sound as quickly as his legs could carry him. It hadn’t sounded like the Princess, but with Her missing from Her room, it was likely the best first place to check for Her. 

Chat made his way through the gardens and toward the temple, cutting through the paths and jumping over bushes to make his route shorter. By the time he entered the courtyard of the temple, he had a clear view of the scene laid out in front of him. Anger was boiling over inside of him at the sight of the Princess on her knees in front of an entitled prick he instantly recognized. 

He was going to reach Her in time, he had to tell himself that, and forced his legs to move faster as he saw swords being raised against the girl who he was supposed to be protecting.

Chat swung his spear as he stepped in front of Her like a protective shield, knocking the guard’s swords out of their hands and slicing across their chests in the process. He slammed the end of his spear into the ground, standing as steady as a rock between the Princess and Felix, who Chat wasn’t at all surprised to see among the other usurpers. Chat wanted it to seem like his attention was fully on his brother, while still keeping a keen eye on the rest of his surroundings. 

“Does anyone want to explain to me what the hell is going on here?” Chat asked almost at the volume of a shout so the whole courtyard could hear. He surveyed the area, trying to recognize any other faces in the crowd. Momentarily, he faltered as he saw Luka standing behind Felix, a cold and callous expression he had never seen before on his friend. 

“Chat,” Her soft voice from behind him made his shoulders stiffen. Chat craned his neck to look behind him, seeing the look on Her face for the first time, and the blood on Her dress, and the mud on Her feet. “Are you- are you going to help me?”

At that moment, Chat wanted nothing more than to comfort Her, to kneel down beside Her and let Her cry the tears he knew that She was holding inside Her. Chat wasn’t usually a shoulder to cry on for her, and he had to remind himself that now. He was supposed to be protecting Her. Comforting Her could come later. 

“Just stay behind me, Princess,” Chat said, clenching his hand around the shaft of his spear. 

“General Noir,” Felix said. The formality didn’t phase Chat. Even if they had been raised to call each other and think of each other as brothers, their dislike for one another ran deep. “Move aside before I order-”

“Yeah, I don’t want to talk to you,” Chat said, pointing the tip of his spear at Felix’s chest. He looked past him, toward Luka, who had been silent this entire time. “I want to talk to him. Are you apart of this or are you just being a pacifist and standing by while they hurt our friend?” 

“You have no right to address the king in such a way,” Felix spat at him.

“No right to address who?!” Chat shouted. “Where is the King- The Princess’s father?!”

“Dead.”

Chat almost felt himself choke on his own breath as Luka spoke for the first time. “I killed him minutes ago. Princess Marinette can tell you what happened. She was a witness to it.”

Chat wasn’t sure which emotion to acknowledge first, the anger or the shock. He wanted to say that he didn’t believe Luka’s words, but how was that possible when he already trusted Luka to never tell a lie? 

“And what?” Chat asked. “And now you have the Princess on her knees, hoping to kill Her, too? A defenseless girl?”

Luka’s blank expression still did not falter. Chat knew that nothing was appealing to him, but still, he continued to yell, moving on from shock to anger. If he could scream and get it all out, his mind would be clearer, and he’d be better able to do his job. 

“If you don’t have any respect for the Princess- for the heir to the throne,” Chat continued, “Do you at least have respect for the High Priestess of the realm? You’re going to execute Her on the steps of the temple? Do you  _ want _ to incur the wrath of the gods?!’ 

“No god will stop me from doing what I must,” Luka answered. Chat couldn’t stop himself as he shot forward like an arrow, pushing Felix down to the ground as he passed. Luka was skilled enough to block Chat’s advances, they’d fought and trained together enough to know each other’s fighting patterns. In the midst of his angered thoughts, Chat was certain that he could take Luka down easily. He could take down anyone now, and perhaps everyone around him knew that, as they were still standing off to the side rather than jumping into battle. 

“Stop, General!” Chat could hear Felix calling to him but that wasn’t enough to stop him from fighting. “Stop or I kill Her now!” 

Those words managed to get his attention. Chat pushed Luka as far away from him as possible and turned to face Felix, the sight now before him stopping him cold in his tracks. 

Felix had the Princess by Her hair and one of the guard’s swords pressed against Her throat. Chat was already breathing heavily from the fighting, but the panic rising up inside him wasn’t doing him any good. 

“Release Her,” Chat demanded. 

“Put down your weapon,” Felix said in return.

“Release Her, now!” 

Chat knew that Felix wasn’t a fighter like he was. His bother was more inclined to spend his days in a library, and that gave him the advantage now. He didn’t care that he was cutting a deep gash into the shoulder of his adoptive brother, nor that he was injuring anyone else around him that dared to get close. The only thing that mattered was that the Princess remained unharmed. 

Chat took Her by the hand, pulling Her to Her feet and along with him as he ran out of the courtyard. He needed to find another place where they would be safe. The Princess’s plan of getting inside the temple was a good one, but it seemed that Luka and Felix would be willing to disregard any sacred traditions in order to get what they wanted. He needed to get Her out of the castle and they could find a safe place from there. 

“Just hang onto me,” Chat told Her, keeping a tight grip on Her hand. He noticed She was stumbling more than running, and eventually opted to scoop her up under one of his arms instead.  _ Good thing She’s had always been so small. _

“General Noir.” A whispering voice called to him from around a corner. Chat slowed his pace for a moment to look over and saw Juleka hiding in the shadows, beckoning him to follow her. 

He hesitated for a moment, but as he heard more guards approaching, took the risk of following Juleka in between the two buildings, knowing where she was leading him to.

“Are you with your brother?” Chat hissed, trying to adjust his grip on the Princess’s waist as he kept moving. 

Juleka held up a hand, stopping them both in their tracks as guards passed in front of them. They knelt to the ground, Chat releasing his grip on the Princess and leaning Her up against the wall. Her eyes looked glazed over, and Chat didn’t really think She was present until She spoke softly. “Juleka,” the Princess said, “you haven’t abandoned me either?”

“No,” Juleka answered with no hesitation, taking the Princess’s hands in her own. “I would never do such a thing, especially not for some dim-witted scheme like my brother is pulling.” 

Juleka stood back to her feet. “I’m going to distract them so the two of you can make it to the side gate. Escape into the forest.” 

“Juleka, are you certain?” Chat asked her. “They’re not being merciful-”   


“I understand the risks of this,” Juleka said. “But if I can make Luka regret his actions even just in the slightest by having to arrest me, then that’s something I’m willing to do. I want him to know just what’s he’s giving up by committing treason.” 

Chat nodded in understanding. He took the Princess’s hand again, helping Her to Her feet. Juleka released Her hand, smiling at Her as best she could. “Good luck.” 

Chat forced the Princess to move as soon as Juleka disappeared around the corner. They only had so much time to make it out of there, and he wasn’t about to let her sacrifice be in vain. 

“I’m not-” A choked sob escaped the Princess’s lips as they slipped out of the gate hand in hand. “I’m not ready to leave this place.” 

Chat did his best to ignore the pain in Her voice. He needed to keep them both moving. “I’m not either.” He let go of Her hand for just a moment, taking off the robe he wore over his tunic and draping it over Her nightdress. Chat whispered softly as he began to lead Her down the forest path. “Let’s go.”


	3. Chapter 3

Only once they were a safe enough distance away did Chat allow them time to rest. They were far off into the forest, off any of the regular paths, and he knew of no soldiers that could find their way around these mountains as well as he could. It was lucky for them that it was early summer now, trying to make their way through here in the snow would have been a pain and the Princess was already slow moving as it was. 

She needed to rest though, and he couldn’t carry Her the whole way. 

Chat was currently sitting with his back facing Her as She washed off in a stream. He had managed to get some water for them, some food as well, and now he was just waiting for the Princess to be done washing off the caked on layers of dirt, and mud, and blood that had covered Her body. 

He had done his best to try and wash off Her nightdress, but there were stains that just wouldn’t come off. Chat almost felt sick at the thought of making Her put it back on, but they were without any other options. Until he could think of some place suitable to take Her, they’d have to continue on like this. It was something Chat was absolutely prepared to do, but the Princess had never in Her life been out side the walls of the capital city. She had never been prepared for something like this. He was the only thing She had to rely on. 

Chat almost looked back at the sound of water splashing as the Princess was climbing out of the water. He quickly snapped his eyes back to the front. Her nightdress had been hanging by a small fire he had been able to make, and he waited for Her to make some sign that She was finished putting Her clothes back on. Apparently, that sign had been sitting down on the log across from him, hugging Her knees to Her chest. 

She hadn’t spoken to him since they had last left the palace. 

The Princess had hardly shown any sort of emotion either. He feared that She was becoming just as numb on the inside as She was on the outside. For almost his whole life, he had been so used to walking behind Her, watching Her lead the way, always so graceful and poised, but now She would barely even move unless he was leading Her on in front and holding onto Her hand. 

_ Can someone please tell me what I’m supposed to do?  _

Chat could just see the stars peeking through the tree tops as he turned his gaze upwards. The prospect of receiving some sort of sign wasn’t likely, he wasn’t the one who heard messages from the gods, but still he hoped for something from the only other person in the world who ever offered him guidance, a man he called family more than people who were actually supposed to be. 

Though, Chat supposed the King had given him one order that was supposed to last even after his death. That was still something he could follow now. 

Chat stood to his feet, making his way over to the Princess and offering Her his hands. “You should take my robe again so that You don’t get cold,” he said. The Princess wordlessly stood to Her feet. Chat helped Her get Her arms through the sleeves. She still looked small and shaking, the addition of his robe still barely giving her any warmth. There was a tie around Her waist with the nightdress, and Chat mumbled to Her as he reached for it. “Pardon me.” 

The Princess didn’t even move as he slipped the tie from Her waist, refastening it on the outside of his robe. The sloppy bow he tied it in at Her waist was worse than he had ever seen done on Her. Even when She had insisted on tying it Herself as a child it always looked better than this.

Chat moved some of Her damp hair behind Her ear, and noticed the red rubies still dangling from Her ears. The seemed to be in perfect condition, about the only thing She had on that was. Chat found himself taking down a mental note to make sure they didn’t get lost or that She would never have to part with them even if they were in the most dire of circumstances.

“Is that better?” Chat asked Her as he withdrew his hand. The Princess made no move to respond besides a small tip of Her head and immediately sat back down on the forest floor. Chat didn’t know whether or not to take Her hands again and help Her sit or do  _ something.  _ There was honestly nothing helpful he could do at the moment besides pestering Her about the fact that they needed to get moving again in a few minutes. 

\----------------------------

Marinette’s eyes were focused on Chat’s shoes. They were covered in mud. His shoes were usually brown, but now they were covered in mud. She was sitting in front of him on the ground, legs crossed and Her hands folded in Her lap. Marinette wondered how long it would take Her to zone out completely. She’d done so before, more than once throughout this whole night. It was still dark and they had plenty of miles to travel. Marinette didn’t know exactly where Chat was taking Her, but She trusted him, even though She wasn’t entirely present, to lead Her somewhere where they could be safe together.

Chat was standing in front of Her, and She knew that he was looking down at Her. Marinette didn’t quite know how to look back though. She was worried about what he would see in Her eyes, if he’d be able to read the thoughts behind them. Would he fuss over Her if She were in pain? Previous evidence and experiences made Her think he probably would. 

When he finally sat down again, Marinette repositioned Herself, brining Her knees back up to Her chest and resting Her head on top of them. Now that he wasn’t looking at Her, Marinette found it easier to examine him, watching as Chat clenched and unclenched his fists periodically. He was worrying about something. Was it Her? 

Marinette couldn’t say why, but She didn’t want him, too. His entire job was basically worrying about Her, but Marinette recognized the situation they were in. She wasn’t clueless, and She knew for a fact that Chat was in much more danger if they ended up being caught than She was. He could be blamed for everything and executed. She would likely only be locked away and under house arrest for the rest of Her life. 

Or married to Luka in order to secure legitimacy to his claim to the throne. 

Marinette tried to shake that thought out of Her head. 

No, She would focus on trying not to be a burden to Chat. As best She could.

As She was pulled out of Her hazy cloud of thoughts, Marinette noticed now that Chat was looking back at Her. How long had She been staring at him and hadn’t noticed he was staring back? Marinette wanted to move Her gaze to the trees, or the sky, or the ground, but found that She couldn’t take Her eyes off of him. Chat was looking at Her the exact way She had feared, and a common understanding of the pain they both felt was shared. He was in pain, too, but he was hiding it in all the normal ways he had for years. Always for Her sake, and it made the guilt rise within Her even more. 

Marinette sucked in a deep breath, Her lips parting slightly as She carefully formed every word in Her head before speaking them. “Do you remember,” Marinette started, taking note of the slight surprise in his expression to hear Her speaking, “when we were little and I convinced you to climb trees with me even though I was barely tall enough to reach the branches?” 

“Yes,” Chat answered after a moment. “I remember it didn’t take You much to convince me.” He fiddled with the hem of his sleeves. “You fell and sprained your ankle.”  
Marinette nodded. “Yes.” 

“And I got chewed out by everyone.” 

“But you stayed with me the whole time I was stuck in my bed,” Marintte said. It was usually kind of memory She would laugh at. Not now.

There was a part of the story they were leaving out. Who exactly had been the first to berate Chat like an older brother would, and who had carried Marinette to Her bed and called the doctors. They were both purposefully avoiding it. Marinette wished She hadn’t brought the memory up because  _ he  _ was in it, but She couldn’t but think of all the times Chat had been there for Her before, each memory unnecessarily tainted by something that now was dark. 

Marinette felt the urge to stand and move around to the other side of the fire, taking a seat again right next to Chat. She instantly felt warmer again and laid Her head against his shoulder. Grabbing his wrist, Marinette lifted his arm up and over Her head, laying it across Her shoulders. 

“What are You doing?” Chat asked in a quiet voice.

“Do we have to move yet?” Marinette ignored his first question.

Chat paused for a moment, readjusting his grip on Her shoulders and pulling her closer into his side. “No,” he said. “Not for a little while longer.”   
“Then I choose to stay here for now,” Marinette said. She let Her eyes fall shut, concentrating on how his heartbeat sounded and hoping it would lull Her to sleep for just an hour or so. 

“Of course,” Chat answered. She wanted him to rest his head on top of Her own, maybe even shut his eyes for a while as well, but Chat’s muscles felt tense, and he was sitting completely still. Marinette had noticed his spear was lying by his feet, easy enough to bend down and pick it up. Chat was ready to go on the defensive at any moment.

\--------------------------------

Marinette couldn’t quite tell how long She had been asleep when she woke up to Chat calling for Her and kicking the soles of Her shoes. 

“We need to start moving again,” Chat told Her, helping Her to her feet. “Sorry, Princess. We should be able to reach a place we can rest again by tomorrow morning.” 

Marinette adjusted sash tied around Her waist, keeping Chat’s robe closed over Her nightdress, and brushed off the specks of dirt that were willing to come out of the stained fabric. “Where are we going?” 

“For now, there’s a village on the border of the Wind and Fire tribes that we can head to,” Chat said. “Trying to head into somewhere with a lot of people wouldn’t be smart. The Wind tribe definitely won’t be on our side, and if Felix is working with Luka then Aunt Nathalie probably is as well.” 

“Then why a border town?” Marinette asked. 

“Because there’s one person who I can think of there that won’t try and kill us,” Chat said. “It’s the safest we’ve got till we can decide what to do next.” 

Chat wasn’t looking at Her while he was speaking. He was staring off into the distance, and maybe he was just thinking about the journey to their destination, but this felt deliberate. He was looking away from her with purpose. Marinette narrowed her eyes, skeptical of his behavior, but didn’t say anything. 

“Alright then,” Marinette said, walking in the direction Chat had been staring. “Let’s get going.” 

“Acutally, uh,” Chat said. Marinette stopped in Her tracks, turning around to look at him. He jabbed his thumb behind him. “It’s that way, Princess.” 

Marientte sighed, feeling Her suspicions were further confirmed by the fact that he hadn’t even been looking at where they were going. “Right.” 

Just as She was about to walk past him, Chat grabbed Marinette’s wrist, keeping Her by his side. “Just follow me, Princess,” Chat said. “I’ll get us where we need to go.” 

Marinette silently nodded. Chat was staring at Her now, intensely. She expected him to keep a hold of Her hand, leading Her like he had last night, but Chat dropped it. He started walking without Her and it took Marinette a moment to clear Her mind enough to follow him. Unlike before, when She had decided to start moving without him, Marinette took steps on shaking legs forward. 

This didn’t feel like Chat leading Her. In the back of her mind and the sinking pit in Her stomach, Marinette got the feeling that this was him leaving Her behind. 

  
  



End file.
